Roads from Sugar

An Australian research and development company has developed what it claims is a world first, commercially viable, non-petroleum-based, asphalt bitumen substitute for roads. It is made from the waste material derived in refining sugar cane, molasses. GEO320 bitumen, as it is known, is the development of Ecopave Australia, a Melbourne-based family-owned organization with a long asphalt manufacturing background.

The company said it had taken more than 20 years and extensive testing to develop the road-grade bitumen substitute.

“GEO320 is designed to be a stand-alone replacement for the current road-grade bitumen with added performance benefits,” said Mr Eerik Owerhall, owner-partner of Ecopave Australia. “Normal asphalt bitumen has numerous shortcomings which we have all experienced when driving on roads. GEO320 was designed to correct all these shortcomings and be a post-petroleum natural alternative.

“Road safety and the environment were the main reasons when designing GEO320. The fact that we can make GEO320 out of waste materials like molasses, which comes from a renewable resource, will help to prevent global climate change due to green house gas emissions.

“It will also contribute positively to the so-called ‘heat island effect’ by creating cooler road surfaces because GEO320 based asphalt can also be colored,” Mr Owerhall said. “This year the asphalt industry celebrates 100 years since the invention of roller-compacted asphalt, the same asphalt used on the roads today.

“To date there has been no alternative to bitumen which is probably one of the last remaining products to be affected by progress. The arrival of GEO320 is timely because the world is heavily engaged in the push towards non-petroleum based products and environmentally sustainable production.

“What is really surprising is that the scientific community around the world has failed to address, pursue and support any alternatives to petroleum based bitumen, almost believing that it will be around forever. Ironically, it took the issue of global climate change to make the wake up call,” Mr Owerhall said.